Scooby-Doo star Matthew Lillard chimes in with thoughts on Netflix’s live-action show

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Scooby-Doo star Matthew Lillard chimes in with thoughts on Netflix’s live-action show News By Nick Staniforth published 1 February 2026

“My hope is that they hold onto what’s tried and true and take their hack at it."

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Netflix is revving up a new version of the Mystery Machine with a fresh live-action take on Scooby-Doo, and now one of the original gang who tried it out back in 2002 has had a few words to say on the matter. Matthew Lillard played Shaggy in two films, alongside the other perfectly cast members of Mystery Inc. — Freddie Prinze Jr. as Fred, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne, and Linda Cardellini as Velma — so it’s fair to say he knows how to handle the permanently petrified dog.

“My general thought is that I’m really happy for them. I think that the show needs to come back,” the Scooby-Doo and Scream star told Entertainment Weekly. “I think that it’s a great way for kids to understand storytelling. It’s the first introduction to ghost stories for a lot of kids, right? It’s about friendship and sticking together as a gang and working together to solve mysteries — and that normally it’s a dangerous white man behind a mask. These are the things that kids have to learn.”

While not necessarily well-received with critics the first time around, Lillard’s Scooby-Doo movies have earned a cult following and also acted as an early stepping stone for a young James Gunn to test his writing chops (whatever happened to him, by the way?). Now with this fresh new attempt, Lillard hopes that Netflix tries to keep hold of what makes Scooby Doo so great, and doesn’t have us saying “ruh-roh” at another iffy adaptation.

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While there's no confirmed casting just yet, it's been confirmed that the show will, this time, explore how the Mystery Inc. gang got together at summer camp. After a chilling crime is committed on campgrounds, the only eyewitness is a Great Dane puppy who has all the answers and a hunger for Scooby snacks.

“I think that having it back is good,” assured Lillard. “My hope is that they hold onto what’s tried and true and take their hack at it. But the reality is that I’m sort of a purist when it comes to that franchise. The core of it is really about friendship. It’s really lovely, and I hope that they hold onto that.”

With no confirmed release date just yet, we’ll have to wait and see how the fresh new faces of Mystery Inc-in-the-making and their dog handle things in the future. While we wait, here’s our list of the best TV shows to watch in 2026.

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Nick StaniforthSocial Links NavigationContributing Writer

Nick is a freelancer whose work can be found at Screen Rant, The Digital Fix, and Looper. He loves movies, TV, DC, and Marvel. He also believes that the best Robin Hood is still a talking fox.

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